Alright, so folks often ask, “What’s there to actually do in the Middle East?” It’s not all just sand and skyscrapers, though you see plenty of both. I figured I’d share a bit about one thing I got myself into, just to give you a real taste.
That One Time in the Desert
So, I ended up going on one of those “desert safari” things. You see ’em advertised everywhere if you’re in certain spots. Sounded a bit touristy, not gonna lie, but I thought, “Why not?” So, I booked it. They picked me up in this big 4×4. The driver was a quiet guy, just did his job, got us out of the city. The ride out there was… well, it was a ride. City just kinda fades away, then it’s just flat, then sand starts appearing.
First up, the thing they call dune bashing. Basically, they let some air out of the tires and then just go nuts driving up and down these massive sand dunes. I swear, my stomach was in my throat half the time. It’s like a rollercoaster but, you know, in a car, on sand. You’re sliding sideways, going almost vertical up a dune, then plunging down. Pretty wild, gotta admit. Hold on tight, is all I can say.
After my insides were sufficiently scrambled, we got to this camp sort of place. And yeah, there were camels. So, what did I do?
- I rode a camel. It’s higher up than you think, and they kinda lurch when they stand up and sit down. Bit awkward, but hey, when in the desert, right? Got my photo, ticked that box.
- Tried sandboarding. It’s like snowboarding but on sand, and mostly you just fall. Or I did, anyway. Some kids were whizzing down, making it look easy. Not me.
- Watched the sunset. That was actually pretty stunning. The desert just glows this amazing orange and red. Good for photos, if you’re into that.
Then it was time for the evening stuff at the camp. They had this whole setup. There was a falconry demonstration – those birds are impressive, seriously fast. Got some henna painting done on my hand, just a small design. Then came the food. It was a BBQ dinner, lots of grilled meats, salads, hummus, that kind of thing. Pretty decent, actually. Filled me up. And while we ate, there was entertainment.
They had a belly dancer, which was, uh, energetic. Then a guy doing this Tanoura dance, spinning around in a lit-up skirt for ages. How he didn’t get dizzy, I have no idea. And then a fire show. Twirling fire, eating fire – the whole shebang. It’s all part of the package, you know?
Some folks were doing the overnight camping thing, staying in tents. I heard them talking about stargazing later. We didn’t stick around for that part for that particular trip, but I can imagine the stars would be incredible out there with no city lights. But even just the evening was an experience. It’s a full-on production, that’s for sure.
So yeah, that’s one thing you can do. It’s a bit of an adventure, a bit touristy, but you get a feel for the desert, see some cool stuff. And you definitely come back with sand in places you didn’t know you had.
